Pubdate: Wed, 15 Aug 2012
Source: Star, The (Malaysia)
Copyright: 2012 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd.
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com.my
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/922
Author: Wong Pek Mei

RECOVERING ADDICTS LOOK FORWARD TO DRUG-FREE CELEBRATIONS

KUALA LUMPUR: It was a day of joy for 128 recovering addicts who were 
given a chance to put aside their troubled pasts and participate in 
the preparations for the coming Hari Raya.

Faisal Azlan Ismail, 29, is happy to be able to spend his first 
drug-free Hari Raya in a decade with his friends at the Sungai Besi 
Cure and Care 1Malaysia clinic.

"For 10 years, I was on drugs and never got to enjoy Hari Raya by 
participating in the preparations such as making lemang and dodol," 
he said during the "Jom Kacau Dodol" programme at the clinic yesterday.

Three big woks were set up for participants to take turns stirring 
dodol from 10am to 5pm.

Faisal said he started dabbling in drugs at the age of 18 due to the 
influence of the company he kept at the time.

"I started cultivating bad habits, like smoking cigarettes and 
marijuana. Eventually, I moved on to heroin," he said.

"I have tried many treatments but it never worked until now. I always 
thought of quitting drugs because I was getting worse," he said.

Faisal, who has been seeking treatment and rehabilitation at the 
clinic for two months, said his family was proud of him.

He said his only Hari Raya wish was to be completely free of drugs 
and not experience any relapse.

His message to the young generation: "Do not start at all. It's not 
worth it as there's nothing cool about it. I wish I could turn back 
time and not even try it at all."

Another recovering addict, Shahrizal Mad Ali, 33, who will also be 
experiencing a drug-free Raya for the first time since he became an 
addict, said he never appreciated the celebration as he was constantly high.

"I was at a stage where I neglected the rest of the world," he said.

He said once he had completed his three-month rehabilitation, he 
hoped to be able to cultivate a vegetable farm left by his late parents.

For others who may not be as lucky as him, he said he hoped he would 
be able to provide job opportunities to his friends at the clinic 
once they complete their rehabilitation and treatment.

The clinic's deputy director Mohd Azizi Salleh said the programme 
promoted a sense of belonging among the participants and motivated 
them to return to society.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom